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The Cost of Victory part 1
Session 35 Bolg's camp contained an assortment of goods, both magical and otherwise. Material wealth in looted goods, too large for the party to transport without more manpower are stacked floor to ceiling. They take what they can and head back to their camp near the cenote. Illiaph retreats to himself but is watched closely by Dael. The party, still high from their success against Bolg, come up with a plan to take Yelloweyes out of the competition. The piece of Jilin warns Illiaph not to move against his other servants, but the creatures warning goes unheeded. Angered that this alien would manipulate him and furious that Jilin may be using him as a courier into the hands of Funiku, Illiaph begins to lose faith the creatures power. Jilin "You must feed me again. This piece you have grows weak. I can not sustain this nodule without nourishment." Illiaph retreats into his mind. Zoning out while the party plan their move against Yelloweyes. Illiaph attempts to convince Jilin that he must be obeyed for the time being. Jilin demands that he give him the spark of terror. When Illiaph refuses, the alien being tightens around him. Jilin "You will obey or you will serve your ultimate purpose now. All life is beneath me and you do little to convince me that you wouldn't better serve to nourish me." Daels sharp eyes, notice that something is wrong with Illiaph and draws a pistol, ready to end the deviant warlocks life at a moments notice. Illiaph stands to his feet briefly as his living armour tightens and begins to suffocate him. Illiaph Fellspark "Everyone! Kill my armor! Kill Jilin n-" He is cut off as the armour swells around him. Pseudopods lash out at Marcelyina and Galdan's staff. Panic explodes around the camp. Gunshots and sword slashes into Jilin do just as much damage to Illiaph. Fireballs char both the warlock and his master. Jilin's flesh crumbles lifeless to the ground crumbling away from a half-digested Illiaph. Marcelyina pauses for a moment as the party briefly debate whether Illiaphs death would be a blessing or a curse. They decide to heal him after a time and discover that Illiaph's pact with the alien being has been broken. Illiaph's power, lost with his pact, he confesses the extend of his intentions to the party. Dael is horrified at the reveal that Illiaph had been seeding the countryside with more pieces of Jilin than she was aware of. It would seem that at least two of Jilin's nodules had escaped her. Illiaph pulls Shalazar to the side and asks him if he could assist him in contacting his father Thorben. Shalazar can, but will have to wait until morning. The party wait until dawn and move towards the cavern serving as Yelloweyes base. A thick dusty stench wafts out of the cavern entrance. They easily dispatch several hobgoblin skeletons guarding the dry sandstone tunnel and move inside. Empty alcoves and smashed pottery bring tears to Saargon's eyes. Saargon "This place is sacred to my order. The resting place of many ancient shamans has been disturbed. Their remains pillaged and desecrated. What would this knight and his master be looking for in our ancient sacred sites? First Katol'ist now this place." Illiaph draws his cloak around himself, concerned that Jilin has switch allegiance to Funiku and that either one may be present. The tunnels are straight and wide, low ceiling shafts open into rectangular vaults. The air is dry and the sounds of creaking bones echoes throughout the cavern. Illiaph's familiar scouts ahead, the promise of a live humanoid in exchange, convincing the demonic creature to obey its master. The quasit bounds through the shadows, reporting that several tunnels meet and one comes to a three meter high ledge overlooking a small settlement within the crypt. A dark knight flips through a series of crumbling scrolls and picks at a number of wooden staves leaned up against the wall. He glances at several skeletons, who carry goblin artifacts into the tent. The knight known as Yelloweyes briefly investigates the items each skeleton carries before moving along. Dael's sharp eyes spot a familiar sword slung at the knights side; Roar, the flametounge Rilken picked up after Terron dropped it in Shar. No sign of Funiku. The party jump up with a shout and leap from the overlook. The battle is fierce. Skeletons provide little more than fodder as they are blasted apart by Dael and Marcelyina. Yelloweyes proves a tremendous swordsman, dispatching Jamlamin as a veteran would a child. Roar tears through flesh and steel, shattering Jamlamins longsword in a single swing. Halafas jumps into the frey but is lain low by Yelloweyes agonizing touch. Marcelyina rushes to the grey elf's side, revivifying him. Alistyre and Shalazar bombard Yelloweyes with magic, but recieve a blast of unholy fire. Things look grim for the party as Saargon and Thozmolim are grievously wounded as well. Illiaph manages to subdue the Kenku death knight with a critical eldritch blast. Dael removes the armour to reveal Rilken's broken body. His beak and claws have been been sawed short and gouged with arcane tengu script. His starved chest is sunken and bare, covered with hundreds of poorly sewn together cuts. Patches of sickly skin are exposed where his feathers have been plucked out. His left hand and eye crudely removed, having been replaced by a withered ghouls hand which flexes and grips despite his unconsciousness. Dael turns to her companions explaining that he still clings to some semblance of life and is not entirely undead. They all agree to put their friend out of his misery. Alistyre performs basic burial rights to the best of his ability and Rilken is sent to meet Mortus. They decapitate him and burn the body, much like they did with Rilken's father. They take Rilkens items, including a large candle. The candle itself seems odd, as it apparently can not be lit or even damaged by any means. A feeling of unease fills the party as they leave to tell Terron and Geshran the news of their victory. They wonder what became of Funiku and why they still feel unease at Rilken's passing. After assuring Geshran that Yelloweyes has been dealt with, he offers to take the party with them as they report back to Arundel. The party decide to stay and witness Ish'kronn Ast'ronn as Geshran uses his word of recall to take himself, terron and Halafas back to Illden. The party take their last moments to recover from the fight with Rilken. One hour until Ish'kronn Ast'ronn begins. EXP and Journal.